Envy Now Optimised for Genesis 2.1!

On June 30, StudioPress announced the release of its new framework, Genesis 2.1 – only 2 weeks after the release of Krolyn’s WooCommerce-integrated Genesis theme, ENVY – developed, of course, for Genesis 2.0.2. Aaargh! So, after a few hours of kicking the couch and yelling into pillows, it was back to the drawing board for the ENVY theme. And a week later (although it seems like a month), ENVY v1.1 has been released – specifically for the new and improved Genesis 2.1 framework.

So, what’s new in Envy v1.1? How different is it?

Well, visually, there is little difference on the front-end. Most notable is the new max-width of 1200px for wider screens as opposed to the 1140px width of its predecessor. And as such, some minor adjustments have been made to the sizes of default images and thumbnails. However, the new child theme stylesheet has been constructed entirely from the Genesis 2.1 stylesheet. No corners have been cut lifting large chunks of previous CSS code into the new CSS file. In other words, every line has been assessed individually and either removed or modified. It’s been a busy week!

Of course, ENVY v1.1 takes advantage of the new framework features, including:

Will previous versions of Envy work with the new Genesis 2.1 framework?

In a nutshell, yes. However, it won’t take advantage of 2.1’s new max-width and media query regimen. No conflicts have been reported as yet. However, should users experience any bugs, please report them on the Envy Support Forum.

Should existing Envy users upgrade to the new v1.1 theme?

If you have not made any customisations to the existing theme, you can absolutely upgrade. However, if you have made substantial changes to the theme files (i.e. CSS, functions, JS, templates) it is not recommended. ENVY v1.1 represents a significant departure from the previous version (a completely new stylesheet) and great care would need to be taken to ensure your customisations are not overwritten and are replicated in the new theme.

Are older versions of Envy still supported?

Absolutely, yes! If you experience any bugs or issues with former versions 1.0+ that have not yet been addressed, please post your query on the Envy Support Forum.

A final word.

Genesis 2.1 represents some significant developments in the Genesis framework, and as such, a great opportunity to improve the ENVY WooCommerce-integrated child theme. An opportunity that was taken. As with all of Krolyn’s products and services, it aims to be the best. Best products. Best service. Best support. I am very excited about the new version of ENVY. And as always, I encourage and welcome your feedback.